Brick-handling apparatus



2 Sheets-Sheet l June 24, 1930. G. E. LUCE BRICK HANDLING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 3, 1927 June 24,V 1930. G. E. LUCE 1,755,765

y BRICK HANDLING APPARATUS Fiied Nov. 3. 1927 2 Sheets-Sheety 2 IN VEN TOR.

GkHFro/v E. 1/CE,

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, Patented dirne d, n' Y jnssreiir'or Arro riANoAsrnn IRON WORKS; I

n oon-ronnr'ronjor rnnnsrnvnnia p BRICK-Heitmann"ArrnArUs u y ,Application 'inea 'november 3,1192?. u'sel-iai No.. 230,794t j This invention relates-fv to Abrick handling apparatus to be nsed orhandiing bricks in the kilns ,after they have been burned, or

v taking aunit' of bricks from the kilns for 5 loading on barges orcars.r y Y The principal'oi' this invention 'is to provide a dumping fork of this character *adapted to load bricks either in closely packed or loose piles, withouty any undue breakage. In

1Q loa-"dingbrickiorV railroadshipment, itv has beencustomary heretoior' to carryaload of bricks',overv the topv VVoi: a' containerV carried upon fa. flat bottomgon'do'la car andy from that"position droppthe-bricks into, the conn V tainer in -a loose pile. @The containers for this use are ot a standardjpattern lcommonly f known as railroad containers, andare of a v `depth such -thattlfie dumping mechanism-` of y dump rforks now in common use can' not be 2o' reached for operation if the Afork is positioned within the container. By means of this invention, the dumping fork may be lowered into `the'containerito within a ew'inches of the bottomot the car or platform upon which the bricks are to be released. 'Thereuponfa simpley release arrangement drops the torky and then byv raising the crane, the bricks are rolled-off the fork-ratherth'an dropped. .The

' crane in its upward Vmovement raises the back Y Se end of the fork', leaving the'tront endlower until.finallyy the whole. mechanism .assumes a verticalposition as it is drawn from thevcontainer. To l reposition i the fork, it'l is only Y necessary to lower-vit tortheground'sothat it will be brought to horizontal position'an'dlocked ready .for the next load.

rThe fullnature of the invention will ybe understood from the accompanying "drawings and the'following description and claims:

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a sideelevation of the 'fork with the upper lportion thereof shown in central vertical cross section, with a stackot bricks carried thereby shown in dotted lines. Fig. 2 illustratesr the fork lowered with a load of bricks into a container. Fig. 3 illustrates'the' fork` after having dumped the bricksin the container and being i removed therefrom. Fig. 4 is a rear, elevationshowing the two middle 'supporting 512 fingers taken on theline of Figi,y Fig. i.

5is a' planview ,o the locking mechanism.

1 Fig. y6 is a section taken on the line 6-,6 of

Fig. 1. Fig."7 is a section taken on the line 7-7 of Fig. 1;y t Fig.'y 8 is the same asthe upper y portion ot Figlshowing afmodiiied form. Fig. 9 is a. plan vView looking down the turn.-

ing keyf and ratchet mechanism shown in In-.the drawingS Vtherewis*shown."a

handling or dumping forkk which is raised and lowered in the usual manner by a crane y connected thru the hooks y10. Suspended .from said hooks there isa supporting ring 11 upon which the turntable 12 s'rotatably` f mounted yby the-ball: bearings 13.` vRigidly lsecuredto the turn table, 12 there is an overc head,support 14 havingga bracing beam p15 f j from' which arey suspended the verticalbars` L n l v16.' '.Said bars support the' crossxbeaml? which isfinthe form of fin-inverted channel bar.`V V.

w The aforementioned. vstructure comprises a the frame of the dumpingfork which is rotably supported by the .tur-n table 12 -so that The said; f i

the fork may be lreadily swiveledinto any desired position orl4 dumping. frame `and turntable constitute a' support for brick supporting iingers hereinafter. de#Y scribed.Y f f Pivotally supported by the cross beam 17- upo'n the finger shaft 18 there are a' plurality 'of brick supportingngers 19 which extend horizontally or at right angles'to the bars 16. Asfthere are a plurality of said fin: gersthey are adapted tovsupport and carry a'stack ofbricks 20, indicated in dotted lines. However, lfor ndumping Vthe, bricks, said iingers are adapted to. dropdown in the vertical position shown in Fig. 3, 'swivelingzabout the shaft 18.' ForA guiding vand .limiting theA extent of their-movement, there'isprovidedv f 'a stop shaft'21 which moves in the arcuate lslot 22, shownv infdotted lines, lwhereby the fingers will be prevented fromv vswinging 'y back of their vertical position'whendumping`,as well asbe forced beyond'their hori- Zontal position when resetting.;

*Mounted in la vsuitable bracket 23 supported upon the cross bar 17, there is a gear shaft y24 to which is keyed a bevel gear25. On

kTao A Y .Y ably keyed to the holding Vshaft 33'and haveach side of said bevel gear there are'keyed the spur gears26 adapted to engage and mesh4 .with the corresponding segmental gears 27 Y formed upon'an arcuate portion of the rear of each finger.V There is provided a spur gear 26 for each finger so that upon movement kof the fingers 19 about the finger shaft 18, the spur gears 26 are rot-ated, which i in .turn rotatesV the bevel gear'25. Furtherf inore,rthe shaft`24 maintains the fingers 19 in alignment ythruout their 'movement thruk the medium ofthe spurV gears respective segmental gears 27.

Meshing with the bevel'gear 25 k there is a bevel pinion 28 which vis keyed tolthe lock Y shaft 29 extending vertically upwardly betweenfthe bars 16 to the overhead support 14. At the upper end'of said shaft 29, there is a gear 30 meshing with the ridler'gear 31 which in turn meshes with the gear 32`slide ing an external ybearing: Yin said overhead support 14. Mounted immediately above the bea-ring onsaid support and Ysurround- Acylinder 34V providedV with keyways indicated Y ing the shaft 33," thereV is an annularlocking at 35 in which the locking collar 36 is adapted to slide in and out oflockiiigengagement f with the keys 35. 'Saidcollar is keyed upon `the shaft 33 which is provided with the notch 37 for receiving .the pawl 38 `pivotally y supported by the bracket 39 and normally maintained in engagement with the notch'V 37 thefspring 40. Pivotedto the under surface of lthe 'overhead support. 14 there'istijlockling .lever 41 rwhich extends thru the guide i end of the lock shaft 33v for position .to engage the llower moving it into member 42 in upper locked position. Y v V- Y, g .Y In operation the dumping fork. is applied to aV stack of bricks inthe formation left by the setter wherein the 4lower course of VVbricks aresufficiently spaced apart to 'perl mit the entrance therebetween of the yfingers .19, whereby said'fingers may thus bepositionedunder the next upper course. The

" iiigers'are held in Vtheir horizontal; position heldby the bevell gear 25, bevelpinion28,VV

for supporting the upper courses of Ybricks Vbyl reason ofthe gears 26 meshing with .the segmental gears l27 on Ythe fingers, yandbeV shaft 29, gears 31 and 32, shaft 33 and locking collar 36,'so that there can be noy movementthereof. Inother words, when the collai` 3,6'is locked in position by thelockingV keys 39`against rotation, byreason of its operative connection with the segmental gears onv the fingers 19,'they, are heldpagainst ro;1

i tation thru the shaft1'8.- Y

thereof. TheY operator vthen inserts a pipe The load of bricks is elevatedby the crane and lowered into a railroad container 141 so that the fingers rest on or nearr the bottom 142 into the container sothat it passes over the upperfend ofthe shaft and'engages :26 and their wrench 139 having a. handle 140.

the pawl 33 for forcing it out of engagement with the notch in the shaft, and thenven gages and forces the locking collar 36 downwardly outY of engagement with the lockingV keys 35. This unlocks the entire mechanism since the collar 36 is free to rotate; This in turn permitsy rotationof the shaft 33 vwith the gears associated therewith, whereupon the gears 26 are freely permittedto rotate, thus'rcle'asing the lingers 19 so that they are no longer locked infhorizontal position.V Upon raising the fork by the crane as shown lin lTig. 3, the. rear ends of the forks arey elevated while their front ends, being supportjV ed by the bottoinj of the container or the bricks upon which they rest, are caused to slide rearwardly until the forks are brought to a vertical position limited by the stop shaft 21. This permits the bricks' to slide forwardly off the forks; After the dumping action, the vfork is then lowered'by the crane until the fingers engage a supporting surface, such asthe ground, whereupon the Y continued lowering of theV frame causes them to be brought back to horizontal position. Upon this position being reached, theoperator. movesY the Vlever 41 upwardlyV from theposition shown by dotted lines, thus rais# ingthe shaft 33 to whichthe'collar 36 is secured and causing said collarto be reengaged by the lockingkeysr 35and'the pawl 38 to :enter the slot 37 kby means of the spring 40.`

to release the 4dumping fingers.' Said pawlsL aie normally held in engaging positioniby table 12. Saidpawls are provided with in'y wardly-extending portions 137 having va coi'1 ner normallyin engagement withthe pin133. p v

zee

the compression springs 136 mounted onthe F or releasing the ratchet so that the gears f to32, inclusive, maybe released for drop-v ping the dumping fingers, .there isa tubular wrench is Vprovided with cut-,away portions at its lower-end adapted to straddle the pin-l Vengaging,corner ofthe ratchet portion 137 when mounted over the upper end ofthe pinV '133. By rotating the handle' 140 counterclockwise, the lowerend of the wrench l139 atithe cut-away portion engages the curved surface of the portion 137 of the ratchet and forces theratchet out o'f engagement with'the"V ratchet wheel V134. This releases the gears 30 1" to 32, inclusive, for permitting the dumping fingers to drop. When the'duinping'flngers y are forced upwardly and to horizontal Vposition, the ratchet 134 is caused to rotate in the direction indicated by the arrow, and the Said' TVS: Y

i y tending from' the lowerv end of vvsaid dowin Ving vertically upward from. said fingers means for/operatively connecting said shaft Wrench beingy removed, the y'Vp'awl drops into n engaging position so that it is held from rotal'lheinventionV claimed is:

tion in the opposite direction, thus sustaining the dumping fingers infpo'sition.,

1.- A brick handling foi-li comprising a port having a downwardly extending portion, a plurality of bricksupporting fingers pi'votally mounted on the lower end of rsaid downwardly extending-portion, ashaft exwardly extending'portion'to theV upper ond thereof, a gear` connectionbetween ythe lower end o'f said shaft and said fingers, and means positioned in the upper portion of said support forflocking saidV shaft against rotation for Amaintaining said fingers iny supporting position andreleasing saidshaft so as to per-` mitthe lfree rotation thereof, Jwhereby v,said fingers may freely swing aboutl their mounting to dumping position. f

2. rA v'brick' handling'fork comprising a support having" a downwardly extending portion, a plurality of' brick supporting fingers pivoted to the lower" end of said ydownwardly extendingportion, a rotatable shaft,

extending vertically upward fromsaidffingers means for operatively[connecting said Ashaft and said fingers yfor preventing the movement of said ngers abouttth'eir pivotal y mounting when saidL shaft is V*non-rotative,

and a member for looking said'shaft against A rotation 4when said member in lone position andr releasing saidshaft-for rotation when said member is in another position.

3. A :brick handling fork comprising 'a support having a downwardly extendingpor# tion, a plurality o'f brick supportingv fingers n pivoted to the lower end of said downwardly extending'portion, a rotatable shaft, .extendand Sa'diflgels fOI preventing the movement of 4said fingers about their pivotal mounting when said shaft is non-rotative,

and a sliding element adapted to lockv said,4

, yshaft againstr rotation when in one position and release'the same for free rotation when moved to another position.

4I A brickhandling fork comprising a sup port having a downwardly extending por# tion,a'plurality of brick supporting fingers pivoted to the lower end ofsaid downwardly extending portion, Va rotatable shaft,y means for operatively connectingsaid shaft and said Vfingers for permitting the movement ofsaid fingers abouttheir pivotal mounting by the o rotationvof said shaft while locking them in supporting position when non-rotative, a

-;r' tioned position.

sliding element operatively connected Vwith said shaft for preventing rotation thereof rwhen in one position,-and'permitting its, free rotationwhen in another position, and means for locking said element in said first' men- Stup-l pivotal f frame, Y 'a gearr connection .between said 5. Abric'k handling 'forkcomprisingan up.- l

pending` therefrom, ay plurality oflfinjgers pivotally mounted to the lower end 'of said vertical frame and extendingk substantially "per-supporting lframe'av vertical framede#y horizontally therefrom for supporting aload'y of bricks, a looking element slidablymounted vinfsaidrupper supporting frame, and means forL operatively connecting. said element with said fingers for normally maintainingsaid fingers in supporting position and releasing y said fingers so as to permit them to move' about theirpiv'otal mounting into dumping position whengaotuated. r r Y f n Y,

i GIA; brick handling fork ,comprising an upper supporting frame, averticalframe` de'- `pending therefrom, a plurality of bricksupzporting fingers pivotally mountedon the lower end of'said vertical frame,fa shaft ext'end-y ingr therefrom to 'said upper supporting shaft and fingers, a slidable locking "ele 'ment mounted inv said vupper r supporting theimovenient ofsaid lingers to dumping po- Simon. n'. f 1. :f i

port having a downwardlyextendingportion,

a plurality of brick supporting fingers pivoed tothe lower end of said downwardly ex- 7., A brick fork comprising'asupr tendingiportion, gear members operatively 'connected with said fingers andA preventin'o` rotation thereof when. non-rotative, v an means for lockingsaid gear members against'y rotation and for releasing said gear members for permitting said lingers to droplfrom said supporting position. f

8. vA brick handling fork comprising fa support havingadownwardly extending portion, y Y, jfiio j i`V Va1 plurality oflbrick supporting fingers pivotallymounted on the lower end ofjsaid down-L wardlyy extending portion, a substantially horizontal shaft, gear connections between 'said shaft and said fingers ywhereby rotation ofsaid fingers is prevented when said shaft is non-rotativaan'd means for locking said*` shaft against rotation whensaid means-isin onerpositio'ng .and permitting the rotationY of said shaft r whenjsaid means is in another position.VH 'Aff j 9. A brick handling f'ork comprising asupport having a downwardly extending portion,

a pluralityof brick-supporting fingers' pivotally vmountedv on the lowerend of saidzdownwardly extending portion, a substantially horizontal shaft operatively connected to said fingersto prevent rotation thereof when said iesl shaft is non-rotative, afsubstantia'lly vertical shaft operatively connected to said horizontal v shaft lwhereby rotation ofv said'horizontal -shaft'is preventedivhen said vertical shaft is non-rotative, and means positioned in Vtlie up-A 4 per end of saidsupport for lock-ingsaid ver-V tical shaft'against rotation and for releasing said shaft so as to permit free rotation of said fingers.V

10. A brick handling fork for loading vrail road `containers comprising a support having a downwardly extending portion, brick-sup-V porting vfingers pivotallyinounted on the lower endo'f said'idownwardly extendingpor- .tion` meanszfor locking said lingers in brick- ,supporting position, Yand releasingmeans for releasing said locking means to permitdumpi ing 'of the brick; said releasingfmeans being Y operable from *ai pointv exterior of said ,rail- Y -roadpontainer when said brick handling grae-5 fork is .positioned Within said containerrand saidlocking means. and said releasing means 'being positioned Within the vertical projection of the'dimensions-of'said support. Y

11.V An apparatus for loading brick into railroad containers.l including a dumping forkV adapted Yto,V support a stack of Vbrick thereon andadap'ted to be positioned Within said container WithoutV dumping of brick,

vm'e'ans'for so positioning the'same, and means Y 'oractuatingsaid fork for dumping of brick `when so positioned. f

' 512.An apparatus'fi'or'lloading into railroad containers including a dumping fork adapted to support a lstack of brick'there# on and' adaptedto be positioned Within said A container Without dumping of brick,.means for so positioning the saine,.and.fmeans for A' 'conditioning said fork when so positioned Yfor 'dumping ofi-brick by .the removal of said fork .from'said container. Y Y

A153; `An apparatus for loading brick `into railroad containersr including a dumping fork adapted to supporta stack of brick thereon and adapted'to'bel positioned within said container.' means torso positioning the same, means forlactuatingsaid fork forduinping of Vbrick Whensopo'sitioned', and means for procontact With the sides of said container.

on, said frame and said lingers being adapted and adapted to be positioned Within said ccntainer, and means for actuating said fork for dumping of brick when so positioni-d,V said actuating means being protected against v V17.- An apparatus for.. loading brickinto` railroad .containersV including a frame, a plurality of dumping fingers attached thereto and adapted to support stackof'brick thereto be positionedavitliin saidfcontainerWithoutrdumping of brick.l 'and means for actuating said iingersfor dumping of brick When soY positioned. 1 L f y 18. An apparatus for loading vbrick into railroad'containers including a frame, a plurality of dumping fingers attached jthereto and adapted to support astack of brickthere.- on, said frame and said fingers beingadapted to bey positioned Witliinsaidcontainer YWithout dumping-of brick, and means for condif tioning said lingers when so positioned vfor dumping of brick by the-removal vof said Y L frame and fingers from saidcontainenf n 19. An apparatus for loading brick into railroad containers including a traine, a plurality fof dumping ngers attachedthereto and adaptedto support a stack fofbrick,V

means for locking said lingers to prevent dumping ofbrick, means for protecting said 7 locking means against Contact Wi'ththe sides of saidcOntainer, Vvv'hereby said apparatus may be positioned'ivithin said container'ivithf out dumping of'brick, Vand means or releasing said locking means for 4dumping ofl,

brick when so positioned. A

In Witness whereof,A I have hereunto affixed 'K my signature.

tectingsaid actuatingmeans against contact i with the sides of'said container.A

111. An apparatus forV loading adapted to support Aa stack of brick thereon and adapted to be positioned Within said 'con-V tainer Without dumping of brick, and means for actuating said fork for dumpingoi"V brick rWhenA so positioned. A A i v 15. An apparatusjor loading Vbrick vinto railroad containers including a dumping fork brick into railroad containers including a dumping fork 'Y railroad containers including a dumping fork adapted to support af stack of Vbrick thereon y GRAFTON n. LUCE. Vxicaisc DISCLAIMER 1,765,765.Gmft0n E. Luce, Chicago, Ill. BRICK HANDLING APPARATUS. Patent dated June 24, 1930. Disclaimer filed September 8,v 1931, by the patentee and the assignee, Lancaster Iron Works Inc. Hereby enters this disclaimer to that part of the claims in said specification which is in the following wording, to Wit: A

5. A brick handling fork comprising an upper supporting frame, a vertical vframe depending therefrom, a plurality of fingers pivotally mounted to the lower end of said vertical frame and extending substantially horizontally therefrom for supporting a load of bricks, a locking element slidably mounted in said upper supporting frame,

and means for operatively connecting said element with said fingers for normallyv maintaining said fingers in supporting position and releasing said lingers so as to permit them to move about their pivotal mounting into. dumping position when actuated.

10, A brick handling fork for loading railroad containers comprising a support having a downwardly extending portion, brick-supporting fingers pivotally mounted on the lower end of said downwardly extending portion, means for locking said fingers in brick-supporting position, and releasing meansfor releasing said locking means to permit dumping of the brick, said releasing means being operable from a point exterior of said railroad container when said brick handling fork is positioned Within said container, and said locking means and said releasing means being positioned within the vertical projection of the dimensions of said support.

11. An apparatus for loading brick into railroad containers including a dumping fork adapted to support a stack of brick thereon and adapted to be positioned within said container Without dumping of brick, means for so positioning the same, and means for actuating said fork for'dumping of brick when so positioned.

12. An apparatus for loading brick into railroad containers including a dumping fork adapted to support a stack of brick thereon and adapted to be positioned within said container without dumping of brick, means for so positioning the same, and means for conditioning said fork when so positioned for dumping of brick by the removal of said fork from said container. i v 1 13. An apparatusfor loading brick into railroad containers including a dumping fork adapted to support a stack of brick thereon and'adap'ted to be positioned Within said container, means for so positioning the same, means for actuating said fork for dumping of brick when so positioned, and means for protecting said actuating means against contact with'the sides of said container.

14. An apparatus for loading br-ick into railroad containers including a dumping fork adapted to support a stack of brick thereon' and adapted to be positioned Within said container without dumping of brick, and means foractuating said fork for dumping of brick when so positioned.

15. .An apparatus for loading brick into railroad containers. including a dumping forkadapted to support astack of brick thereon and adapted to be positioned within said container Without dumping of brick, and means for conditioning said fork when so positioned for dumping of brick by the removal of said fork from said container.

16. An apparatus for loading brick into railroad containers including a dumping fork adapted to support a stack of brick thereon and adapted to be positioned within said container, and means for actuating said fork for 'dumping of brick when so positioned, said actuating means .being protected against' contact with the sides of said container. A

17. An apparatus for loading brick into railroad containers including a vframe, a plurality of dumping fingers attached thereto and adapted to support a stack of brick thereon, said frame and said fingers being adapted to.be.positioned within said container without dumping of brick, and means for actuating said fingers for dumping of brick when so positioned.

18. An apparatus for loading brick into railroad containers including a frame, a

plurality of dumping fingers attached thereto and adapted to support a 'stack of bricky thereon, said frame and said fingers being adaptedy to be positioned Within said container without dumping of brick, and means for conditioning said fingers when so positioned for dumping of brick by the removal of said frame and fingers from said container.

19. An apparatus for loading brick into railroad containers including a frame, a

Iplurality of dumping fingers attached thereto and adapted to support astack of brick,

means for locking said-fingers to prevent dumping of brick, means for protecting said locking means against contact with the sides of said container, whereby said apparatus may be positioned within said container without dumping of brick, and means for releasing said locking means for dumping of brick when so positioned.

[Oficial Gazette October 6, 1931.1] 

